Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

I can't believe there are only 3 weeks until Thanksgiving! Well, that calls for buying all the new magazines (Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Fine Cooking) to learn about the newest way to cook turkey! Actually that isn't the draw for me, I love the new ideas for vegetables and side dishes! Here's one that caught my eye; it's called "Port-Roasted Chestnuts with Grapes". What could be bad about that? I'm thinking this is a special suggestion for our family "ac cross the pond"! I like to buy the chestnuts in a jar, might be cheating but certainly makes my life easier...and isn't that what it's all about???

"Port-Roasted Chestnuts with Grapes"
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup ruby Port
2 TBS butter, diced
2 1/4-inch strips orange peel (orange part only) (for those of you who may have just received a microplane, this would be a good time to use it!)
1 tsp sugar
2 7 to 8 ounce jars whole roasted chestnuts
2-1/2 cups seedless red grapes (about 14 ounces)
Coarse kosher salt
3 TBS chopped fresh Italian parsley

Combing broth, Port, butter, orange peel and sugar in large wide skillet. Bring to boil over med-high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil mixture until reduced and thickened enough to coat spoon, about 8 minutes. Add chestnuts and grapes; sprinkle with salt. Reduce heat to med and simmer until Port sauce is reduced to glaze and sauce coats chestnuts and grapes thickly, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl, sprinkle with parsley.

This recipe came from Bon Appetit, it can probably be found on their website www.bonappetit.com Last night I made two other recipes from the magazine: Smashed Rutabagas with Ginger-Roasted Pears (I added apples as well, my pears were not it great shape!) and Polenta Souffles with Mushroom Cream Sauce. In this recipe it calls for vegetable broth, I substituted Creamed Portebello Soup. The good thing about this souffle is that it doesn't rise that high so you don't have to worry about it falling!

More recipes for Thanksgiving to come as I continue to try them out!